I found this story today. I wrote it eleven years ago, before I had a blog. But it’s still true.
Right now Sandor is racing up and down the house dragging a bull whip, which the cat chasing. He is laughing hysterically. And I’m pretty sure he’ll run into something soon, hurt himself and cry. He’s been doing this for almost twenty minutes. He is giddy, rowdy, insane and happy.
In the past hour I put him in time out for jumping off the back of the couch and I fussed at him for being disrespectful.
I read him two books but he kept trying to start a pillow fight. I nearly beg him to hold still, for just a few minutes. but he can’t. I’m so tired from work and frustrated by his energy…I want to cry.
When I try to dress him he scootches and wiggles like a squirrel in a pillow case. At dinner he turns his silverware into drumsticks and action figures.
Sandor is not ADD. He’s four years old. Sometimes four year old are unbelievable annoying and usually that means they are normal.
Some children need medication but most normal children are loud, rowdy, sometimes nearly uncontrollable and frustrating. they seemingly have unreasonable amounts of energy to burn off and simply can’t hold still. It doesn’t seem natural. But it is.
Fifty years ago parents let kids play outside for hours at a time, even four year old. We had lots of space and parents didn’t have to supervise or watch them all the time. The world was a different place. My parents din’t hear from us until we were hungry, it got dark or we were just too tired to play.
When children came home we were exhausted from riding bikes, jumping out of trees and just running around. When my cousins and I were four, five a six we ran wild for hours on end. We didn’t bug our parents cause we weren’t with them. today, parents and kids spend a lot of time together.
Typically, I pick the kids up from school or pre-school, take them to taekwondo , soccer practice or cheer leading for a couple of hours. I watch them work out and play then we go home and they play while I fix dinner. We eat, I help them take baths, get ready for bed and that’s the day. We are always together.
There’s good news and bad news. I think my kids and I are a lot closer because we spend more time together. My folks were rarely around. The downside is my kids wear me out and seem absurdly high strung. But they are not. Years ago when I was with my cousins, there’s no doubt we were constantly moving, loud, crazy and ridiculous. If any adult had spent hours with us no doubt they would have tried to medicate our entire neighborhood.
Kids have fewer recesses today, then many have structured activities after school, adults are always watching. It’s not wonder kids want to blow off some steam.
So, when Sandor spends two hours hopping like a frog, barking like a dog, yelling new words he’s made up and trying to do somersaults off the couch, I know he’s a normal boy. That’s what we all did years ago, but our parents weren’t around to tell us to “cut it out”
So, don’t assume your child need medication just because he’s driving your crazy. It’s his job.
Author’s note, today Sandor is a awesome 15 year old boy who makes good grades, makes us all proud and still drives us crazy sometimes. Last night we spent a little bit of time with a wonderful 4 year old boy. He did all the stuff Sandor used to do! All of it! Sandor looked over and said, “I think this kid is my spirit animal.”